Albany, NY - Rabbi and Spouse Indicted in Theft Scam

Albany, NY - A Capital Region rabbi and his wife were indicted on charges they bilked more than $128,000 from his late father's estate after hiding the money's existence from other family members.

Moshe Berger, and Debra Berger, both 50, are accused of spending the money on trips to California, Florida and Israel, and on clothing, dinners out and jewelry. The couple had power-of-attorney authority for Irving Berger, who lived with them before he died.
The alleged scam was discovered when an interest statement from the couple's bank account was mailed in error to one of Moshe Berger's siblings, according to Albany County Assistant District Attorney David Ehrlich, who is prosecuting the case. "Irving Berger placed his trust in them, and they abused it," Ehrlich said. "They dishonored his memory by using his trust to steal."

The Bergers, of 171 Hollywood Ave. in Albany, were in court as the sealed indictment was opened and read by Albany County Judge Stephen W. Herrick.
Defense attorney Eugene Grenz offered not-guilty pleas on the couple's behalf and turned over their passports to the court. The Bergers were released without bail under the supervision of the Albany County Probation Department.

Debra Berger, who was charged with second-degree grand larceny, faces 5 to 15 years in state prison if convicted. She works for the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District, which serves grades pre-K through 12.
Moshe Berger, a rabbi without a congregation, could be sentenced to 1 to 4 years behind bars if found guilty of first-degree falsifying a business record, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor.

He is employed as a kosher food inspector for Vaad HaKashruth of the Capital Region. The nonprofit council monitors any store, restaurant, factory or other institution that prepares food purported to be kosher.